Puzzles or games in which a rectangular box or container is divisible into a given number of spaces, and filled with one less cube than the number which would be required to fill the container, are old to the art. The space, which is not occupied by a cube, thus provides a space into which an adjacent cube may be slid, which in turn creates a space having a different location in the container. Initially, the cubes are placed at random, or jumbled; and the object of the game is to manipulate the cubes to a position which will spell words, or to arrange the cubes in a numerical sequence. Most of these puzzles have been single tier puzzles, as for example, the puzzles taught in U.S. Pat. No. 1,274,294 Lobl and in U.S. Pat. No. 1,464,424 Hartman.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,518,889 Wooster, is an example of a two tier puzzle in which the faces of the individual cubes are printed or impressed with letters and numerals. The cubes must be arranged in such a manner that it is possible to spell certain words and make certain numerical arrangements. Since the cubes cannot be rotated in the container, such a puzzle is limited to a very few possible words and numerical arrangements. The cubes cannot be jumbled in the container at random because the cubes cannot be tumbled from one face to an adjacent face.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,036,503 Golick is an example of a more recent cube puzzle in which the cubes may be rotated, as well as slid from an occupied space into an adjacent space. The Golick teachings relate to a puzzle in which the cubes are slid or rotated within the container by manipulating the container itself, such as by rotating, tilting, twisting or tapping on the container. One feature stressed by Golick is that regardless of the skill developed by a player, there will always be an element of chance as to which of his cubes will change position or attitude. A distinguishing feature of Golick is that a player will never actually be in full command of the cubes and will never be able to directly manipulate the cubes.